Dolly Parton Imagination Library amendment approved; KDLA cites 137,236 enrolled children
March 10, 2026 | 2026 Legislature KY, Kentucky
This article was created by AI summarizing key points discussed. AI makes mistakes, so for full details and context, please refer to the video of the full meeting. Please report any errors so we can fix them. Report an error »
The committee approved a $54,000 amendment intended as a short-term bridge to support a statewide expansion of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, KDLA officials told the panel.
Dondra Meredith (KDLA deputy general counsel) and Deputy Commissioner Beth Melbourne said the increase comes from unexpended funds from the prior year and is intended to provide up to six months of support while local partners seek sustainable funding. "These are the unexpended funds from the previous year," KDLA said when members asked where the money came from.
Beth Melbourne cited a recent quarterly report indicating the program had enrolled about 137,236 children, which KDLA described as roughly 51% of an estimated 266,500 Kentucky children ages 0 5. Committee members pressed KDLA staff on how utilization and outcomes will be documented; KDLA said the Dollywood Foundation (the Imagination Library operator) and state partners including the Governor's Office of Early Childhood (GOEC) and KYStats are setting up data exchanges to enable longitudinal tracking of school-readiness metrics.
Senator Thomas praised the program as a step toward parental engagement and said tracking kindergarten readiness is one feasible outcome measure: "What we can determine though is kindergarten readiness. That can be determined and comparing those children who come from households with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and how their vocabulary has expanded." KDLA added that state-level data sharing and enrollment tracking were recent additions to the contract language and that the data-exchange work is in early stages.
The committee voted to approve the amendment after questions about funding sources and data collection; KDLA agreed to provide additional specifics on the metrics and the ongoing partnership with the Dollywood Foundation and GOEC.
What to expect next: KDLA will provide enrollment and utilization metrics and describe the planned data exchange with the Dollywood Foundation and GOEC before the committee's next meeting.
Dondra Meredith (KDLA deputy general counsel) and Deputy Commissioner Beth Melbourne said the increase comes from unexpended funds from the prior year and is intended to provide up to six months of support while local partners seek sustainable funding. "These are the unexpended funds from the previous year," KDLA said when members asked where the money came from.
Beth Melbourne cited a recent quarterly report indicating the program had enrolled about 137,236 children, which KDLA described as roughly 51% of an estimated 266,500 Kentucky children ages 0 5. Committee members pressed KDLA staff on how utilization and outcomes will be documented; KDLA said the Dollywood Foundation (the Imagination Library operator) and state partners including the Governor's Office of Early Childhood (GOEC) and KYStats are setting up data exchanges to enable longitudinal tracking of school-readiness metrics.
Senator Thomas praised the program as a step toward parental engagement and said tracking kindergarten readiness is one feasible outcome measure: "What we can determine though is kindergarten readiness. That can be determined and comparing those children who come from households with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and how their vocabulary has expanded." KDLA added that state-level data sharing and enrollment tracking were recent additions to the contract language and that the data-exchange work is in early stages.
The committee voted to approve the amendment after questions about funding sources and data collection; KDLA agreed to provide additional specifics on the metrics and the ongoing partnership with the Dollywood Foundation and GOEC.
What to expect next: KDLA will provide enrollment and utilization metrics and describe the planned data exchange with the Dollywood Foundation and GOEC before the committee's next meeting.
Don't Miss a Word: See the Full Meeting!
Go beyond summaries. Unlock every video, transcript, and key insight with a Founder Membership.
✓
Get instant access to full meeting videos
✓
Search and clip any phrase from complete transcripts
✓
Receive AI-powered summaries & custom alerts
✓
Enjoy lifetime, unrestricted access to government data
30-day money-back guarantee
